I believe we are born with music in our soul; a dance in our bodies; and a unique song we came here to sing.
No matter where the winding roads may lead, we somehow return, over and over again, to this music, dance, and song. The one that we may never have shared but we know it, deep inside our hearts, for it is the essence of who we are. Our Truth.
You know that thing? Those experiences that stand out in your life thus far. There can be a million "things" but THESE things are THE things you never forget.
For me it is Horses. From the time I was a little girl, to a struggling youth, to an adult on the path of healing to becoming a wife and mother to this moment...there is so very much I have experienced! No matter how much I experience, there are some things I just can't forget, and most of them (other than truly theunforgettable moments with my family) involve Horses. My memories with Horses stand out in a way that is difficult to explain. Almost like a constant in the background of the rest of the experiences of my life. My life with Horses has become a soundtrack, playing alongside the beauty (and hardships) that live within my memories. It always comes back to Horses.
What is it for you? What is your "thing"?
All too often, life gets a hold of us with its demanding grip; silencing our music, forbidding our free-movement, and choking the voices of our song.
And as we grow in the confines of institutional society, we quickly forget our own rhythm, dancing through the days with two left feet, hiding in our shadow with our voices trembling at the thought of being heard.
Until someone, something, somewhere...reminds us who we are.
And then we remember.
The orchestra of our Heart plays our song, our feet glide on the Earth and the words flow off our tongues with the voice of an angel. An inner knowing comes over our bodies, one that sends the message "THIS is why you are here."
When we wake from the dream of this wakefulness, we shake ourselves off, closing our minds, quieting our voice and pushing our limbs back into the tight space of the box we were imprinted to believe that we belong. Because it is terrifying to believe we can break free, break through and be free in our own Truth when it is against the grain of our social conditioning.
Until next time.
We hear the song.
Of the Heart.
The song that fills our Soul with memories that we don't even remember but our higher consciousness claims them as a part of who we are.
I closed myself into the box for years, denying the calling of my Heart to be with Horses in this different and healing way. I shushed my song with excuses like "I can't afford a Horse", "Those other girls grew up around Horses", "How can I ever run a farm, take care of Horses and work my full-time job", "It is unrealistic to think I will ever be able to buy a farm", "People will think I am crazy for believing Horses are healers!". One day, it clicked. I couldn't shush my self any longer. I went all in, in every way I could, until it all came together into what it is now...a life shared in harmony with Horses. It has been 20 years since I took that first step into a field of Horses with the intention to somehow share my life with them> Of course, I didn't "know" how it would all work itself out but I definitely knew it was where I needed to be. It hasn't been easy, by any stretch of the word. But it has been worth it and I have only ever looked back if it was to see how far I have come along the path of the dreamer.
There have been many, many challenges along the way but, somehow, they always worked themselves out and, most often, into an even smoother flow, off the rocky road of challenge lending itself to a scenic route, for a moment in time anyway, until the next challenge. But, once again, somehow, the right person shows up, the right teacher appears (4 legged ones too!), the right opportunities arise, the right book lands on our lap, the right things at the right times for the right reasons. All the right ways to remind us we are on the right path, in alignment with our Truth.
That "thing" is often the one thing we fear most. It is often the "thing" that goes against all of our life "plans" and "agendas". It is the "thing" we often hide from or are even embarrassed to acknowledge or share. Perhaps it is the fear of failure. Maybe the fear of going against what has been pre-defined for us as being "successful".
In this movie, "Finding Joe", Joseph Campbell shares wisdom from, what he calls, "The Hero's Journey." The Hero's Journey can be described as "the steps that a mythical hero must take in order to complete the path to their purpose. There is no pain-free path… and it must be “chosen sacrifice” if it is to lead you towards self belief."
The choice is ours. Over and over again.
No matter which path we take, the song will whisper to us, in some way, shape or form.
Our song is Bliss. Our Bliss is Home. And all of the winding paths we walk will, at some point, in some way, and some how, lead us there. If we follow. Follow our bliss.
The paths are winding. This is the key to understand. It is not an "overnight" song. It's a lifetime song, an ever-evolving sheet of music that somehow becomes more and more beautiful with every tweak. The evolution and the tweaking is the path...and the bliss felt along the way in our hearts, is Home.
I know it's not easy. There are a thousand reasons why you can't or shouldn't.
But what about the million reasons you can? The roadblocks, they will pop up along the way. Not to deter us from the path, but to remind us of the strength, courage and force that drives us to stay on the path. You can overcome every obstacle. And in doing so, be once again reminded of the grace of who you are. Perhaps the challenges are, in themselves, the gifts that invite us to go deeper into our self-belief and discover our great ability to push through the edges of our comfort zone and persevere.
"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek."~ Joseph Campbell
The Horses remind me every day of who I am and why I am here. I hear my song through their nickers and whinnies. I dance to their hoof beats. I am being heard as one with the Herd. When I witness the transformation in our clients after working with the Herd, I am reminded, once again, why I stayed on the path of this song.
What brings you back? What reminds you of your music? Do more of that.
Your heart needs your music. Your body needs your dance.
The world needs YOUR song.
“You enter the forest
at the darkest point,
where there is no path.
Where there is a way or path,
it is someone else's path.
You are not on your own path.
If you follow someone else's way,
you are not going to realize
your potential.”
― Joseph Campbell
Remember who you are, my friend.
With love,
Fotini Chandrika and the Horse Teachers
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